Couple promoting Canadian dairy farmers victims in collision near Saskatoon

The couple, Henk and Bettina Schuurmans, were longtime dairy farmers from Elmira, Ont. and on Monday, their daughter Emily confirmed that Bettina was the 55-year-old woman killed in the crash, while her father, Henk remains in hospital in Saskatoon in stable condition.

Morgan Modjeski, Saskatoon StarPhoenix

Updated: July 10, 2018

Long-time dairy farmers Henk and Bettina Schuurmans were travelling across Canada to promote Canadian dairy and family farms when Bettina died in a collision on Highway 16 near Saskatoon on July 9, 2018 (Screenshot/Twitter.com/Mark_Schwaerzle) / Saskatoon

A couple promoting Canadian dairy farmers by touring across Canada on a tractor were the victims of a deadly crash near Dalmeny.

The couple, Henk and Bettina Schuurmans, were longtime dairy farmers from Elmira, Ont. Their daughter Emily confirmed that Bettina was the 55-year-old woman killed in the Monday-morning crash, while her father, Henk, remains in hospital in Saskatoon in stable condition. She said family members were preparing to travel to Saskatchewan from Ontario on Monday night.

“They decided they wanted to drive a tractor across Canada to support Canadian dairy farmers and just let people know what we were doing,” said the 21-year-old in a phone interview from Ontario.

“They were just the kind of people to just do things like that … they’re very outgoing and active, so they were perfect for doing this,” she said. “Unfortunately, it ended wrong.”

According to the Canadian Milk Tour Twitter account, the two were travelling on their John Deere tractor along with their cow, Maple, “to talk about family farms and quality milk,” across Canada.

The tour was cut tragically short. Emergency officials were called to the scene on Highway 16 on Monday around 9:30 a.m., and crews remained there through the day.

In the immediate aftermath of the collision, a badly-damaged tractor was on the side of the road and a large fake cow was lying damaged in the middle of the highway.

Troy Davies, a spokesman with Medavie Health Services West, said earlier in the day it appeared a semi-truck collided with the tractor. The driver of the truck was not injured.

On Tuesday, an RCMP news release indicated the semi had rear-ended the tractor while both vehicles were travelling westbound.

Emily said both of her parents have been dairy farmers ever since she was born “and long before then.”

RCMP and Dalmeny Firefighters respond on Highway 16 following a two vehicle collision involving a semi-tractor that killed a 55 year woman near Dalmeny, SK on Monday, July 9, 2018.Liam Richards /
Saskatoon StarPhoenix

When asked about her mother, Emily called her “the most amazing person ever,” saying she was outgoing and well-loved by everyone she knew.

“She was just always up for adventures and she was hard working,” she said. “I don’t think I’ve ever met someone so hard working.”

Dairy farmers in Saskatchewan are reeling from the news, according to Sask. Milk’s manager of policy and communications Joy Smith. She said the couple had spent time with Saskatchewan dairy farmers while recently travelling through Regina.

Smith said the pair were “dedicated dairy farmers” who travelled thousands of miles, through a variety of conditions, to talk to residents about Canadian diary and farm families.

“Their passion was amazing,” she said. “They’re not just fellow farmers — they’re our friends and this is really painful.”

Smith said it was her understanding the couple was set to travel to Canada’s West Coast in the Vancouver area before returning home for a short break before starting out on another tour across Eastern Canada.

She said some Saskatchewan farmers are standing by in Saskatoon and are ready to help in anyway they can.

“There’s a lot of pain today because a lot of people knew them,” she said.

Sask Milk has also started a GoFundMe page aimed at raising $10,000. On Monday afternoon, it had already raised more than $5,000.

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